Refillable cartridge fuse



Aug. 19, 1930; J. H. HICKEY 1,773,133

REFILLABLB GAR'IMDGE FUSE Fil'e'd Aug. 20, 1928 1 l Ill INVENTOR.

JOHN H. HIcKEY.

Patented Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN H. HICKEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA REFILLABLE CARTRIDGE FUSE Application filed August 20, 1928.Serial No. 300,818.

My invention relates to improvements in cartridge fuses wherein the endsof a fusible element are arranged to be detachably clamped between apair of clamping plates detachably secured upon the ends of a fusecasing, said plates being arranged to obtain an efficient electricalcontact and to effectually seal the ends of the casing. I

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved fuseconstruction.

Another object is to provide an improved cartridge fuse which may beeasily and quickly refilled.

A further object'is to rovide an improved construction which wiil insurea positive electrical contact with the ends of a fusible element.

Another object is to provide an improved construction which willeffectually seal the ends of the fuse casing when assembled.

A still further object is to provide an improvide fuse constructionwhich is simple and economical in construction and which can be readilyrefilled without the use of tools of any kind and without special skillor experience.

I accomplish these'and other objects by means of the improved devicedisclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present applicationwherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar partsthroughout the specification and drawings, and in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation, partly in longitudinal section, of my improved fuse;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section taken atright angles to the position shown in Fig. 1, and with the cap removedand the outer clamping plate swung outwardly to disengage the end of thefusible element;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the fuse;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fuse as shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of the clampingmeans.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in generala casing formed from fiber tubing or other suitable material. A fusibleelement 2, of suitable size and form is inserted to extendlongitudinally through the casing 1. The ends of said fusible element 2are engaged by clamping means mounted upon each end of the casing 1 andconsisting of inner plates 3 arranged to seat upon shoulders 4 formedwithin opposite ends of the casing, and outer plates 6 eccentricallypivoted upon the inner plates 4 by means of pivot pins 7. The outerplates 6 are made of a diameter slightly larger than the plates 3 andare arranged to seat upon the ends of the casing 1. Openings 8 areformed in the inner plates 3, preferably at one side thereof asdisclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to admit the ends of the fusibleelement 2 there- 5 through. The pivot pins 7 are preferably arranged toafford a slight axial movement of the plates 3 and 6 relatively to eachother to accommodate various thicknesses of fusible elements 2, thisaxial movement being obtained in the structure illustrated more indetail in Fig. 5 of the drawings by providing a head 9, upon the innerend of each pin 7, arranged to be received within a recess 11 formedupon the inner side of the adjacent inner plate 3. The outer ends of thepins 7 are shouldered as at 12 to seat the outer plates 6 and theextreme outer end is riveted as at 13 to permanently retain the platestogether.

Caps 14 are threaded or otherwise detachably mounted upon the ends ofthe casing 1, said caps being arranged to be advanced to engage andpress the clamping plates 3 and 6 against their seats upon the ends ofthe casing. The caps are preferably spun from tubular material to forminwardly disposed annular flange portions 16 arranged to seat againstthe outer surfaces of the outer plates 6. a

In operation the ends of the fusible element are inserted through theopenings 8 in the inner plates 3. the caps 14 being removed and theouter plates 6 swung outwardly upon the pivot pins 7 as shown at the topof Fig. 2. The outwardly extending ends of the fusible 95 elements arethen bent over against the outer surface of the adjacent inner plate andthe outer plates 6 swung into axial alinement with the inner plate,thereby clamping the bent ends of the fusible elements between the innerand outer plates and covering said bent ends completely. ll hen theouter plates 6 are thus swung to axial alinement the edges of saidplates match with the ends oi the casing and seat thereagainst. The capsit are then applied and advanced to press the outer plates lirmlyagainst the ends of the :tusible element and the same time to press theinner plates against the shoulders l and the outer plates 6 against theends of the casing. In this manner the plates 6 are ellectually held inelectrical contact with the fusible element and with the caps ll. Theflange p01 tions 16 seat firmly against the plates 6 and hold saidplates seated upon the ends of the casing, thereby eiij'ectually sealingthe casing and preventing the expansion and escape of gas past saidplates (5 when the fusible element is blown in service.

To refill the fuse alter the fusible element has been blown, the caps llare removed and a new iusible element 2 inserted as above CX- plained.In assembling and in refilling the t'use no special tools are requiredand no particular experience or skill is required as the parts cannot beincorrectly assembled. The outer plates 6 must be turned to proper'stering relation to the end of the casing before the caps ll can beapplied, thereby insuring an effective sealing of the casing when as Thefusible element is entirely enclosed, and the assembled tuse operatesand is used in all respects as an ordinary non-retillable fuse. Theslight axial. morement between the plates 3 and permits the use ofvarious thiclrnr ot' fusible material for various capacities.

lVhile I have illustrated and described only the preferred CO1 ructionand arrangement oi my improved fuse, the device is of course subject tomodification in numerous details without departing from the spirit of myinvention. I therefore desire to avail myself of all such modificationsas may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let Patent is:

1. A iuse comprising a casing; a fusible element extendinglongitucilinally througl the using; clamping means mounted upon the endsof the casing and comprising a pair of plates pivotally connectedtogether to re ceive and clamp the ends of the fusible element, theinner plate of each pair being arranged to seatupon a shoulder formedwithin the end of the casing and the outer plate being arranged to seatagainst the end of the casi and caps detachably engaging the ends oi thecasing for securing the clamping members in contacting relation to thefusible element an l in sealing relation to the casing.

2. A. fuse comprising a casing; a fusible element extendinglongitudinally through the casing; clamping means mounted upon the endsof the casing and comprising an inner plate arranged to seat upon ashoulder within the end of the casing and an outer plate eccentricallypivoted upon the inner plate and arranged to seat againstthe end of thecasing, the inner plate having an opening arranged to admit the adjacentend of the fusible element therethrough and the outer plate beingarranged to be moved pivotally to cover and press the end of the lusibleelement again-st the inner plate; and caps detachably ei'igaging theends of the casing and arranged to hold the clamping means in con tactig relation to the fusible element and in sealing relation to the casing.

3. A. fuse comprising a casing; a fusible element extendinglongitiulinally through the casing; clamping means mounted upon the endsof the casing and comprising an inner plate arranged to seat upon ashoulder formed within the end of the casing and an outer plateeccentrically pivoted upon the in nor plate and arranged to seat againstthe end of the c" ling to close the same, the inner plate having anopening termed tn*eiu to a dinit the adjacent end of the iusi le elementth rethrough whereby said end may be bent 1st the outer surface of theinner plate 4, the outer plate swung into contacting relation to saidend and covering said end and the end of the casing; and caps threadedonto the ends or the casing and arranged. to press the outer plate intocontacting relation to the end of the fusible element and into sealingrelation to the end of the casing.

l. A :tuse comprising a casing; a fusible element extendinglongitudinally th rough the casing; clamping means mounted upon the endsof the casing and comprising an inner plate arranged to seat upon anannular shoulder formed within the end of the casing and having anopening arranged to admit an end of the fusible element therethrough andan other plate of slightly larger diameter a rranged to seat. upon theend of the casing in matching relation thereto; a pivot pin coir neetingthe plates at a point spaced from the centers of the plates, said pinbeing arranged to permiteccentrio relative pivotal. more meat and a.slight ax al sliding movement; and caps threaded onto the ends of theeasin and arranged. to press the outer plate into contacting relation tothe end of the fusible element and into sealing relation to the end ofthe casing.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

JOHN H. I-IICKEY.

